Risk Assessment

The potential risks involved in undertaking a project can be presented in a tabular format as set out below. Some examples are given but your project needs to define the risk elements that are appropriate to you. A typical risk assessment table is likely to run to many rows. Other risk headings may include: hardware, software, network, data conversion, integration/interfacing, user acceptance etc. Risk
Skills Lack of in-house skills at initial stages Low High Involvement of RSC/Becta staff to kick-start the process. Training the trainers. Reluctance of staff to be involved or to act as trainers

Likelihood Impact

Risk Management Approach/Mitigating Actions

Early Warning Signs

Loss of key staff

Med

Med

Succession planning and involvement of team players. Critical procedures should be recorded in a manual which is accessible and secure Introduce flexibility, customising material and a mentoring approach

Unlikely to be early warning signs other than notice periods unless requests to attend interview received Non-attendance/drop-out from training sessions

Not meeting the needs of Med-High staff with different levels of skill Management Failure to get all parties to Med share same understanding of purpose Lack of support by senior staff for something about which they have fear or lack of understanding Med

High

High

Definition of stakeholder needs and clear plan with well-defined deliverables. Use of sound project management methodology.

Differing views on forward plan. Confused messages in draft publications.

High

Clear goals and objectives. Clear communications plan. Visible responsibility Non-attendance at meetings. Repetition of built into the ongoing management of the Project action-oriented meetings, previous meetings. Staff not released for use of Intranet to show tasks, responsibility and progress. Sign-off of Plan by training Steering Group. Review of new projects and priorities. Analyse existing Staff Development programmes and identify integration opportunities. Build FPP into Appraisal process (requires time), performance management. Prioritisation and negotiation. Highlight any likely clash at steering board meetings. Clear communications plan. Staff Development event to introduce concept with 2-way involvement encouraged. This event further feeds this Risk assessment. Request for training to HR/Staff Dev. Officer

Conflicting Staff High Development plans and/or needs Lack of buy-in and commitment by staff Change of priorities of Govt or College Med

Med

High

Non or variable attendance

Low

High

Ongoing review of new internal projects and priorities. Any external changes Press, College Communications downgrading priority of use of ILT will be high profile.

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Risk Assessment
Risk
Infrastructure IT infrastructure cannot cope with requirements Med High Identify training room, equip with sufficient equipment and involve IT Dept to check for network connection (staff and student networks), software (inc. versions and plug-ins) Network/bandwidth monitoring and review Materials not working, speed of equipment response Materials not working, speed of equipment response

Likelihood Impact

Risk Management Approach/Mitigating Actions

Early Warning Signs

Use of IT post-training are Depends on High such that infrastructure college becomes unable to cope Delivery Staff not available at times High training is delivered Part time staff not able to be involved/disaffected High High

Flexible delivery and sessions on different days and at different times

Timetables. On-line delivery should be one delivery option

High

Investigate whether option to pay for time spent in training. Evening sessions It WILL happen! On-line delivery should be with other inducements e.g. buffet meal one delivery option If possible have a stand-by data projector. Have presentations available on None! Acceptance that it will be skill issues CD in case of Network failure. If life of a bulb was 20 years, the fear is still it rather than technology that are the real risks will happen in my class Ensure technical staff are supportive and available to be addressed particularly for early sessions.

Anything going wrong in a Med training session with hardware etc will seriously affect confidence of staff unused to ILT delivery Impact on Teaching & Learning Training has little or no impact in the classroom Med

High

Depends on start point of College

Clear communication and planning. Trainees must know what is expected of Feedback loops them and must be able to understand how to put ideas and methods into practice. Schedules for procurement/creation of materials should be included in the plan. Feedback should be gathered to enable success stories to be communicated and celebrated. Unsuccessful experiments should be dealt with positively, feeding discussion groups. Measurable actions for trainees post-session should be set during each session. Pedagogy included in training. Use of student ILT assessments. Materials aimed at skill/attention levels of students. Cognisance of learning styles. Attendance records, complaints, comments in other classes

Students confused by new Low methods

High

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